Delay in the releasing of Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) and Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examinations results by the Ministry of Education (MoE) has affected the country’s private schools in terms of income, Nyasa Times has established.

Independent Schools Association of Malawi (Isama) president Joseph Patel said the delay of the results – which were supposed to be released last week utmost since the new academic year began on Monday – has compromised their financial uprightness.

“We are failing to pay our teachers and other staff members,” Patel told a local radio Tuesday.

He added: “We depend on school fees for our income. We are disappointed and saddened by this delay.”

According to Patel, longer holidays affects school-going children especially girls.

“Those who sat this year’s Standard 8 exams, for example, have been on holiday since May. The case is even dangerous for girls who might get impregnated during the unnecessary holidays,” he said.

He urged the Ministry of Education to hasten up the process of releasing the results and demanded that the Ministry give a particular date on which it will release the results.

He said: “Our curricula are very long and we don’t need these delays. The Minister of Education should publicly say when exactly the results will be out.”

Minister of Education spokesperson Rabecca Phwitiko told the radio that the results will be out before the end of this week but could not say exactly when.